Means to prevent flooding basements, &amp;c.



F. HINTON.

MENS T0 PREVENT FLOODING BASEMENTS, &c. Arme/Tio lmit) Aus. 16. |919.

patented Feb.'3,1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

FRANK HINToN, or nEcATUa; ILLINOIS.

MEANS T0 PREVENT FLOODING BASEMENTS,

Specification of Letters Patent.

v Patented Feb. 3,1920.

Application filed August 16, 1919. Serial No. 318,028.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK HINTON, a'

citizen of the United States, residing at Decatur, in the county of Macon andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means to Prevent Flooding Basements, &c.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

vent the escape of sewer gas'and foul odorsthat may enter a basement or other part of a dwelling through a drain pipe or the like.

The invention will first be hereinafter more particularly described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and then pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

In said drawings- Figure 1 is a plan view of a device embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of the same, and

Fig. 3 a detail sectional view showing the connection between the perforated plate overlying the cap-plate-of a drain pipe and the superposed imperforate presser plate.

Referring to said drawings, in which the same reference letters'are used to denote corresponding parts in different views, the letter A denotes a cap-plate secured on the end of .a drain pipe P, which connects with a sewer for conducting'rain water and drainage from the basement or other part of a dwelling house; the combination, in this instance being made by screwing the end ofthe pipe in a threaded hole in the cap-plate, as so shown in Fig. 2. On the cap-plate A is secured a perforated-plate B, through the perforations of which water may flow into the drain pipe; the two plates being separated sufficiently to provide a water space between said plates around and over the open end of the drain pipe. This space may be provided by formingon or attaching to the perforated plate marginal enlargements or strips b, b,I

which extend entirely around or on all side edges of the plate to prevent forming a gap through which water or gas may escape, and to lseal the joint a correspondingly shaped gasket C, of rubber or other suitable material is placed between the marginal portions or edges of the two plates, as-shown, The two plates may be firmly secured together by fastening bolts D having reduced threaded ends d whichare screwed into interiorly threaded holes in the plates, as shown in Fig. 3, or by other means. The bolts D also have reduced upper end portions which are passed through holes in` the top plate E which rests upon the shoulders at the upper ends of the enlarged or main body portions;A

of the fastening bolts and is secured thereon by nuts dl. However, instead of bolts having reduced end portions, bolts ofuniform size from end to end may pass through sleeves which will serve the same purpose as the enlarged intermediate portions of the.

fastening bolts, and-other means may be-employed for securing the perforated plate and cap-plate together and mounting the cover plate E1 and the top plate E thereon with provision for upward and downward movement of the cover plate, which in, this instance, is permitted by passingthe enlarged or body portions of the fastening bolts freely through openings or holes of proper size in the cover plate, as shown in Fig. 3. The cover-plate E1 has swiveled thereto, centrally thereof, an adjusting devicefor raisv ing and lowering it to uncover or cover. and close the perforations in the plate B, wh1ch takes the place of the usu'al perforated platevover the end of the drain pipe as heretofore fordinarily employed for carrying off drainage from basements and cellars or basement toilet rooms. Asshown, the adjusting device consists of a rotatable screw G, carried by the top plate E, and having secured on its upper end a hand wheel or other suitable handle H, for turning it, said screw having reduced end portions and said hand wheel having a central hole to receive the reduced upper end g of the screw on which is placed a nut for securing the hand.v wheel or other device thereon, said reduced end g `being square .0r angular in cross section to cause the hand wheel and screw'to rotate together. The screw also hasa reduced lower end g1, which is rotatably fitted in a hole through the swivel-plate I and is retained therein by a washer K which is secured on said reduced end underneath the'swivel plate by a pin orkey or other suitable device, such as is ordinarily employed for similar purposes, so that the screw may be rotated to raise and lower the cover-plate E1 andthereb uncover or close the perforations in the rainpipe plate B. t

A gasketL'of rubber or other suitable materlal is made fast to the underside of the presser-late so as to fit closely upon and effectual 'seal the holes in the perforated plate and7 prevent the escape of water or sewer gas when the down tightly upon t e perforated late. I thus provide a very simple, e

cient and inexpensive .device or attachment to drain pipes that will prevent back-How of water and the flooding of basements and toilet roomsl on the lower ioors .of dwellings or stores where drain pipes areused, and will also effectually prevent sewer gasv from es.-

caping through the drain pipe and entering' a dwellin house or other building. It will e understood of course that various changes may be made in the details and arrangement of parts without departing.

from the spirit and scope of my invention. Havin thus described my invention,

whatl c aimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is pthe character herein de 1. A-device o f scribed comprislng' a caplate having an opening therein to receive t e end of a drain plpe, a perforated plate 'placed oversaid ca -plate and spaced therefrom so as to pro-v vi e a' water-sace around the open end of said-pipe, a ed top-plate located above said vperforaed plate, a vertically movable coverlate or saidy perforated plate arrang between it and said top-plate, and

means for raising and loweringsaid covera plate to open or close the openin s in said perforated late; said cover-plate aving on the under side thereof a gasket of rubber or other suitable material adapted to .seal the openings in said erforated plate and revvent the escape. o water or sewer gas w en y the'c'over-(plate is held. down tightly on said perforate plate. v

2. In combination with a drain pipe, a cap-plate -having an opening therein4 to re,- ceive the 'end of said pilpe, a perforated placed over said cap-p ate and spaoedvtP om -so as to provide/a water s ace around vand over the open end of sai pipe, bolts rising from said perforated plate having presser plate is screwed plate ere.-

their lower ends screwed therein, a top-plate mounted on said bolts, a cover-plate slidably supported on said bolts between. said topplate and said perforated plate, and means for raising and lowering saidl cover-plate to open or close the openings insaid perforated pl-ate; said means comprising a rod screwed into a threaded opening through said topplate and having its lower end swiveled to said cover-plate and provided on its upper end with a suitable handle.

3. A device to prevent back flow and escape of water and'sewer gas from drain pipes, comprising a base-plate` having a threaded opening therein for attachment to a drain pipe, a superposed drain outlet plate spaced from said base-plate to form a water space over and around the open end of the drain ipe and having a series of perforau tions t erein, said plates being secured together by means of bolts screwed therein and `rising therefrom, a vertically movable coverplate normally resting upon and closing the openings in said perforated plate, and means for raising and lowering said coverplate to open andclose said perforations, said means consisting of a fixed member supported on said bolts above 'said cover plate and having a central threaded opening therein and a rod screwed in said openin and having itsV lower end swiveled to sai cover plate'and provided on its free end withV an operating handle.

4. An attachment vent back iiow and escape of water and sewer gas, comprising a perforated plate arranged over the open end of the pipe, "a verfor drain pipes to pretically adjustable plate adapted to cover and close the openings 1n said'per'forated plate, a gasket of rubber or other suitable material having an open center being secured on the under side of said perforated plate to waterseal the joint and provide an uninterrupted space around the open end of the drain'pipe, a gasket of rubber or other material made fast to the underside of said adjustable plate and adapted to water-seal the o nings.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature -1n the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK'HrNToN. Witnesses: A

y .W. A. PHILLIPS,

C HAs. THonN'roN.' 

